Accreditation in European health care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Services Research
• International Health Policy

Background:

• Numerous countries have established national accreditation programs for health services over the past 15 years.
• A European survey report summarizes accreditation data and updates from 2003, collected between January and October 2004.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the European survey report on national accreditation programs for health services.
• To analyze the trends and characteristics of these programs in the European Region.

Main Methods:

• A one-page questionnaire was distributed in February 2004 to contacts in 44 larger European countries.
• Data from 2000, 2002, and 2004 surveys were combined, yielding responses from 36 countries.

Main Results:

• The number of national health service accreditation programs continues to grow, with 26 active or developing programs in 18 countries by 2004.
• While North American models remain influential, newer programs show diverse influences.
• Governmental programs are more likely to publish assessment findings and make results public.

Conclusions:

• Europe exhibits the highest frequency of new accreditation program development.
• There is a notable shift from voluntary, confidential programs to transparent regulation with governmental support and public funding.
• Despite program variations, factors like patient mobility and cross-border healthcare necessitate a common approach to healthcare standards.